Eagles Wake-Up Call Mailbag: Daniel’s Contract

Chase Daniel. (USA Today Sports)

Plenty has happened with the Eagles since our last mailbag, so we decided to answer a couple of your questions. To submit your question at any time, email us, tweet at us (@Birds247) or complete the form at the bottom of this post that we’ll start throwing in the wake-up calls more regularly.

@JoshPaunil Is the bloated Chase Daniel contract a result of Howie wanting Sam and Doug wanting Chase? Compromise was to sign both?

— Brian (@aerelorn) March 16, 2016

I’ve been pretty surprised about the persistent talk surrounding Chase Daniel’s contract. Yes, he received a lot of money, but some of the stats thrown around are pretty disingenuous. The most misleading, in my mind, is when people say Daniel gets paid more than several NFL starters.

If you take a look at Spotrac’s ranking of quarterback contracts by average money, Daniel is slotted at 23rd with $7 million per year. Some have used this as evidence that the Eagles are paying Daniel starting money and that there is, despite Doug Pederson’s comments, a quarterback competition.

The first problem with that is there aren’t 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will start for the Broncos, Browns, 49ers and Rams next season, but multiple teams may be starting rookies.

The second problem is four guys Daniel ranks ahead of are still on their rookie deals. Obviously, young guns like Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota would command more money than Daniel if they were on the open market in free agency, rather than stuck on the rookie wage scale, so it’s not exactly fair to compare their contracts.

Then you look at the other quarterbacks in the top 32 below Daniel, and it’s a pretty uninspiring group: Brian Hoyer, Josh McCown, Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne and Case Keenum. When you add in the fact that backups get paid more each year with the rising salary cap, and the value Daniel brings as a known quantity to Doug Pederson who can help other quarterbacks in this new regime, I wouldn’t be so quick to label Daniel’s deal as “bloated” or unjustifiable.

I don’t view this contract as some sort of compromise between two opposing parties, but rather Pederson getting the two guys he wants as his starter and his backup.

@JoshPaunil Players for round3?

— ♚Joe Sorci♚ (@Joe_Sorci) March 16, 2016

So far, we only know of two players the Eagles will reportedly host in Philadelphia on pre-draft visits: Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott and TCU receiver Kolby Listenbee. CBS Sports projects both of them will be picked in the third or fourth rounds.

Here’s an excerpt of the NFL.com evaluation for the 6-2, 226-pound Prescott, whose stock was hurt recently by a DUI arrest:

Hard to find an NFL comp for Prescott because he’s built like Donovan McNabb, but lacks McNabb’s ability and polish. Prescott has NFL size, mobility and enough arm, but the tape shows a player who must improve his mechanics, poise and quickness through his progressions if he is to become a full­-time starter in the NFL. There are absolutely draftable traits and upside, but he will need extended work to smooth out his flaws. Until then, a team would be wise to utilize him on short-yardage packages.

And here’s an excerpt of the NFL.com evaluation for the 6-0, 197-pound Listenbee:

Intriguing draft prospect with good height, hands and ball skills and the second gear to threaten defenses deep. Listenbee won’t help much as a run blocker and he’s not sudden enough to be a consistent worker from the slot, but winning deep can produce touchdowns which will get him into a camp.

WHAT YOU MISSED

“[Sam Bradford] was a deciding factor.” Why Chris Givens picked Philly.

A little bit of background on Givens, who inked a one-year deal yesterday.

“He brings attitude, he brings experience and he brings a physical nature with him and a little excitement.” Tim Hauck on Rodney McCleod.

Tim rounds up the latest mock drafts in yesterday’s wake-up call.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation reveals that Vegas has actually lowered the Eagles’ Super Bowl odds after their free-agent acquisitions.

The newest odds have the Eagles listed at 50/1 overall, which is worse than how the team ranked in February. The 10 other teams the Eagles are tied with at 50/1 include the Falcons, Bills, Bears, Lions, Rams, Saints, Jets, Chargers, Buccaneers, and Washington. A total of 16 NFL teams have better odds than the Eagles do. Only five teams have worse odds, including Chip Kelly’s 49ers at 66/1.

I’m not so sure what’s made the Eagles worse off than they were in February. They didn’t really lose any key players. Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, and DeMarco Murray are big names but were hardly super critical to team success. The Birds plugged some roster holes in free agency so if anything I’d think their roster is better off.

Chris Givens gives the Eagles a deep threat, writes the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Zach Berman.

“That was one of the main things they talked about,” Givens said. “My deep-threat ability and ability to make plays with the ball in my hands.”

Givens has played four seasons in the NFL. He spent most of that time with the Rams before an in-season trade to the Baltimore Ravens last October. Givens has been far from exceptional, but his 16.6 yards per catch ranks fifth in the NFL since 2012 among all receivers with at least 50 catches. Givens totaled 107 career receptions for 1,779 yards and five touchdowns. Thirty-three of his catches went for 20 or more yards, and eight catches were for 40-plus yards.

“I’m way faster than my 40 time on the football field,” Givens said. “I feel that’s what separates me. When the ball is in the air, there’s another gear that kicks in.”

COMING UP

Nolan Carroll is expected to address the media soon — potentially today — about the one-year deal he signed on Tuesday.

Asher Dark contributed to this post.